A piece of Maltese history, Blood on the Crown is an academic narration of Sette Giugno’s dramatic events sans the drama. Unclear of its own intentions, there is nowhere to go for this disappointing award-winning flick. At the first Malta Film Awards, Blood on the Crown left as the night’s greatest winner, sweeping seven awards but missing out on the coveted Best Film (given to The Boat). With multiple achievements in a wide spread of categories, director Davide Ferrario’s historical drama promises excitement, action and a gruelling reality as it travels back in time to an oppressed Malta, recounting the events of the Sette Giugno riots. Yet, as the film opens with a flash forward post-protests, a trope that quickly removes any suspense, it becomes apparent that Malta’s cinematic poster boy is closer to a straight-to-TV educational flick rather than a theatrical experience. Set in 1919, Blood on the Crown spans the days leading up to the fateful rebellion that led to British soldiers killing four citizens. Anyone who has attended the Maltese scholastic system knows the story, a time where Britain ruled the islands and treated its people like dogs; animals to be conquered and...
